Sharing a Secret
by storyteller362
Summary: After Emma comes back from her world vacation she and Bella convince Cleo to come forward about her being a mermaid to her parents. Taking their advice, Cleo comes clean to someone in her family. Oneshot.


**Summary** : After Emma comes back from her world vacation she and Bella convince Cleo to come forward about her being a mermaid to her parents. Taking their advice, Cleo comes clean to someone in her family. Oneshot.

 **Authors Note** : If I could manage it, I might do this for Rikki but it wouldn't be anyone you expect, until then enjoy this one!

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It was the start of summer and the café was being shut down, thought Cleo gloomily. Guess they were going to be spending most of their time on Mako or at each other's houses. Likely Emma's she thought remembering that they would spend a lot of time there or even her own. Cleo looked over at her friends as she watched Bella get set up with the band. It had been three weeks since graduation and the best part was, Emma came back. Where was Lewis though? He promised that he wasn't going to spend the summer in the states. He was going to come home for the first time in a long while. He should be back soon, she thought anxiously.

"We need to fix Mako Island somehow," said Rikki next to her as she sighed. "Is this something that the magic could fix."

"We don't know that Rikki," said Emma next to her as she looked at Bella on stage too. "I wish I could have help stop them. They get what they deserve with the café closing down."

Good thing Will had talked Sophie from taking those crystals from the cave, thought Cleo dryly. Otherwise they would have other issues, as she remembered putting the three crystals that they did have together. No power outages she thought. Sighing she looked as if she wanted nothing more than to take a nap despite it all being over. Everything was getting packed up and taken away as workers came in taking things that they could. It felt like yesterday it was the JuiceNet and now Rikki's was out of business. Rikki and Emma chattered on about something as Cleo spaced out thinking about everything.

After the sound check was over the bubbly blond from the stage bounced over to them. Cleo smiled as she joined them with a juice in her hand. So she had something to sip on too as Cleo stirred hers. She flipped her dark hair as the conversation had turned to where they might be hanging out this summer, like her original thoughts. Kim would be home with her friends and Rikki didn't like people over at her house.

"Well my house," said Emma, "Although Bella's house might be good. She lives near the coast and her parents are pretty awesome."

That different, she supposed, Emma and Bella really got along. The fact that Emma meet her parents was like her though. It's like they were always friends and nobody really thought otherwise. Even though Sophie had been giving them long looks like something was up between them. She had seen Zane do a double take to see Emma back, but only nodded in their direction.

"Okay what is this secret that you had to keep from us?" asked Cleo as she remembered the other reason why she was there shaking her head. "You said that you couldn't tell us over the phone." Maybe something happened over her world tour that was super important. Although, no more pictures was nice as they had a slide show of them as soon as they could.

Cleo watched as a man came to take way some of the items out of the back room.

Emma fidgeted in her seat then cleared her throat. "Well there's something that I need to tell you," said Emma seriously as Bella sent her a knowing look. Bella knew her secret and it was Emma's place to tell them. So Emma told the entire story of telling her parents that she was a mermaid to the girls. "I think the rest of us should at least tell our parents. My parents understood and I think they will too."

At the end of her story both Cleo and Rikki shared looks of shock and confusion. Mainly over how well her parents took it.

"Em I can't tell my dad," said Cleo, as there was no way she was going to tell Kim, much less her dad. That wouldn't end well.

"At least tell Sam," pointed out Bella as she took a drink. "One of them should know."

"You act like you know from experience," said Rikki looking suspiciously at Bella. Bella flushed at her accusation before realizing that she never told them that her parents knew.

"Because I did tell my parents," said Bella as she gave them a sheepish look. She shrugged as if it was no big deal and Cleo only gapped at this. "I was 9 when I got my tail and 10 when I told them. I was just a kid, I had no idea what to do."

"Bella!" cried out an outraged Rikki looking thunderstruck at this. Bella's parents knew and now Emma's did. It's like they went behind their backs although Emma had no choice but to tell them for Elliot's sake. Then Bella's was just a long time ago. They couldn't stop her from telling the others it was just the matter of trust.

"Well yea, that's how I got out of swim lessons in school. My mum wanted me to see a marine biologist but dad talked her out of it."

"It was actually the opposite with my parents," said Emma with a grin as she and Bella shared a long look. Rikki only sent her a look at well but Emma only stared back. Clearly this wasn't going over well and Cleo knew it as they just shared looks with each other.

"There is no way I'm telling my dad," said Rikki stubbornly.

Emma gave her a small smile as if it was comfort. "Cleo," said Bella, "I get it if you don't want to tell you dad. I wouldn't imagine telling your sister. Sam does seem like your best bet of helping you around the house."

"We don't want to pressure you but it might make you feel better about telling someone," added Emma. She did seem right, Emma was right in a lot of ways.

Rikki only stayed quiet as the rest of the girls talked about telling Sam. It was bad enough that Bella and Emma's parents already knew about them. She only nodded to agree with them as they talked. She wouldn't stop them from making a reckless decision. Rikki had to admit that was better than letting all of their boyfriends know. They wouldn't have their secret completely private forever.

"Alright fine Cleo tell Sam, only because she'd help us."

"Want us to go with you?" asked Bella comfortingly.

"No I have to do this on my own."

With that Cleo got up after Bella let her out. Tell someone about their secret and one of her parental figures at that. Her dad would have understood probably although telling her dad wasn't something she felt comfortable with telling him. It was like staining the image he had of her as a kid. Then he possibly could have told Kim about this. That wasn't going to go over well telling Kim of all people.

She gave Zane, Sophie, and the girls a final wave before making sure no one was around before diving in. Swimming to the house would be much quicker. She let her thoughts go as she swam in the direction of her home and took in the sites of dolphins and fish. After surfacing and drying herself off Cleo walked into her house. On the counter was a note from her dad that he and Kim went shopping. Figures as Kim loved to shop and dad wanted to spend some time with her.

That, however, meant that Sam was home as she heard humming from up the steps. Perfect they were going to be home alone for this. Cleo thought of her friends back at the café and how Emma's parents had reacted they were supportive and understood. With any luck their homes could be safe havens in case something horrible happened. Walking up the steps, Cleo saw Sam putting clothes away in Kim's bedroom after it sat in her clean basket for the last week. She played with her hands as Sam walked out.

"Cleo what are you doing home? I thought you'd want to be with your friends," said the older woman startled.

She played with her hands as she grinned. "I was and I decided to come home a bit early."

"Well we could order a pizza for lunch and watch a movie, how does Dirty Dancing sound?"

As much fun as that sounded Cleo wanted to tell her. Especially since Bella and Emma would be asking and Emma might push it a little. Especially since she had managed to talk her into doing this despite not knowing the outcome.

"Actually, Sam I would love that, but there is something I have to tell you. Just between us girls and it's really really important. I don't want you telling dad or Kim or anyone really." Oh this was no coming out well, she thought wanting to back out. Maybe lie and say something else important.

At this Sam looked a bit touched, the fact that Cleo wanted to tell her something and no one else was something. Special even, she thought, hoping that it would bring her step daughter closer to her. Although keeping a secret from her dad was something else. Sam cleared her mind and decided to just listen to the poor girl with an open mind. She looked like she wanted to explode.

"Cleo you can tell me," she said as Cleo felt her hands on her shoulders. Okay, this was going to work. She wanted to feel like she could tell someone this and comforted that they knew. A mermaid is a big secret.

Wordlessly, Cleo led the older woman to her bedroom and shut her bedroom door. Even if dad and Kim weren't going to be back right away she wanted to be on the safe side. Sam looked a bit puzzled at this but said nothing as Cleo went to her bathroom and got a cup of water. Okay, she talked herself into this and there was no way back.

"Sam, I'm going to do something and I don't want you freaking out. Or think any different about me okay? And please don't tell anyone especially dad and Kim."

Sam seemed to hesitate before nodding along. "Cleo, are you in trouble or something wrong between you and Lewis?" Maybe she thought that he had proposed to her and she was keeping it on the down low.

"No, just promise me."

"I promise."

With that Cleo made herself comfortable on the floor of her bedroom. Sam had taken a seat on her bed not sure where she was going with that. Taking the cup of water, Cleo held it steadily and took in a deep breath. Not looking at her step mother, Cleo pour it gently over her arm just in front of the older woman.

She felt the tingling sensation as the tail grew in the middle of the floor. Cleo watched Sam's face at seeing this. Her eyes grew wide and jaw dropped a little. If she had been holding something she would have dropped it. If she had been standing, she might have fainted or at least asked to sit down. Her mind whirling. There was no way that this was a joke of some kind.

There would have been no time to change into a tail, her skin had gotten wet and the tail appeared. Samantha Roberts Sertori studied it for a moment just taking her step-daughter in. The tail was long and looked really strong. The long copper-golden-orange tail had a matching top just covered in scales. There was also a fluke like some other sea creatures like a dolphin or a shark. Stunned she looked at Cleo who still looked the same. Oh my gosh, this was something new alright.

Grabbing for her towel Cleo started to dry off which Sam watched intently as if she was putting it all together in her mind.

"What, when, where, why, how…" she said trying to remember all the proper ways to begin a question.

Expecting that Cleo launched into her story about how she went to Mako Island with her friends. How they were in this moon pool. Stories about a scientist, a girl named Charlotte, the comet and everything in between as she took sips of water. Wow that was quite some story she thought watching Cleo as she told her all of this. Putting her hands on her head they just looked anywhere but at each other.

Although Emma was right, thought Cleo, it was as if something was taken off of her shoulders. It was the complete truth of how she saw everything. No edits and in person with the truth. It was the fact that she trusted her is how it came out along with the push of her friends. Now it was just waiting.

Closing her eyes Cleo felt her arms around her in a tight hug. Hugging back Cleo felt her eyes start to tear up a little.

"Of course I'm going to keep this a secret for you. I won't tell your dad, you'll tell him when you're ready and Kim would have a field day. I'm just happy that you decided to trust me with this. Thank you," she said feeling closer to her step daughter.

"Thank you so much Sam," whispered Cleo to her step mother.

Then she let out a laugh, "I think I'll take over dishes from now on."


End file.
